Mansehra: Prominent PTI local leaders and office bearers from Mansehra district have threatened for a sit-in protest in front of party president’s Bani Gala mansion if the senior leadership doesn’t withdraw election tickets from the woman candidates in the district. They say that it isn’t their ‘tradition’ hence they will protest against it if the party doesn’t surrender before their demands.

“First our traditions don’t allow the election nomination of women and second the two candidates are not electable and therefore, their tickets should be withdrawn. If the party doesn’t meet our demand, we’ll stage a sit-in outside the Banigala mansion’’– said PTI’s district vice-President Razaullah Khan in a meeting. (Source: DAWN News)

The meeting was called to discuss the future of politics in the region and party nominations in PK-30 and PK-34 constituencies, Mansehra District. The party had previously handed over their representation to Maria Fatima in PK-30 and Zahida Sabeel in PK-34.

Razaullah said that the women candidates are simply unacceptable as they are incapable to secure wins on the seats.“Women candidates are unacceptable to workers and if their tickets aren’t withdrawn and aren’t given to winning aspirants, then the party will certainly lose those seats”– he said.

PTI leader Taimur Raza also said that the aspirants Saeed Khan and Shahzada Gustasab Khan can sit together to decide the affairs in the respected constituencies but a woman contender is simply unacceptable for them. Gustasab later also filed his nomination papers from PK-34, where the party has fielded Zahida Sabeel as a candidate.

These elections are certainly expected to be a breakthrough for the gender discrimination in the country. Maria Khan, first transgender person to contest elections in Mansehra’s history submitted her nomination papers on Monday and is expected to give a tough competition to conservative political and religious leaders.